Rotary mechanism bearing arrangement

Claim 2

A rotary mechanism including a spindle threaded at its outboard end, an inboard bearing means and an outboard bearing means mounted on said spindle, a hub supported on said spindle by said bearing means for rotation relative to said spindle, a thrust retaining washer keyed to and slidably positioned on said spindle for abutment against said outboard bearing means, a selfadjusting nut assembly positioned on said spindle in abutment against said washer outboard thereof for adjusting the axial position of said outboard bearing on said spindle, said selfadjusting nut assembly comprising a cam element in the form of a collar slidably and rotatably mountable on said spindle with axial extending cam surfaces on one side thereof, a bearing nut threadingly engaged on said spindle outboard of said cam element, said bearing nut having axial extending cam surfaces adapted to cooperate with said cam surfaces on said cam element, spring means encircling a part of said cam element and a part of said bearing nut with one end of said spring operatively engaging said cam element and the opposite end of said spring engaging said bearing nut to normally rotatively bias said cam element relative to said bearing nut in an up-cam-ramp direction, key means operatively interconnecting said spindle and said bearing nut to prevent rotational movement of said bearing nut relative to said spindle, said bearing nut being in the form of a body of revolution about an axis of a predetermined diameter to provide an annular outer bearing surface, said hub being of an axial length with a bore on its outboard end to receive said bearing nut with the outboard end of said hub encircling said bearing nut whereby said hub can be rotatably supported by said bearing nut.

Claim 3

A rotary mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said bearing nut of said self-adjusting nut assembly is provided with a radially inward extending annular flange at its outboard end adapted to abut against the outboard threaded end of said spindle, and wherein radial extending lock means are secured to said bearing nut, said key means and said spindle to limit axial displacement of said bearing nut and said key means relative to said spindle.

Claim 4

A rotary mechanism according to claim 1 further including a closure cover fixed to the outboard end of said hub out of engagement with said spindle and said self-adjusting nut assembly and, wherein said bearing surface of said bearing nut and the bore surface at the outboard end of said hub have a coating of lubricant therein.

Claim 5

A rotary mechanism including a spindle threaded at its outboard end, an inboard bearing means and an outboard bearing means mounted in spaced apart relation on said spindle, said inboard bearing means and said outboard bearing means each including an inner race and an outer race, a hub supported on said spindle by said inboard bearing means and said outboard bearing means for rotation relative to said spindle, said hub at its ouboard end having a bore opening to receive said outer race of said outboard bearing means and to receive a secondary bearing outboard of said outboard means, a thrust retaining washer keyed to and slidably positioned on said spindle for abutment against said inner race of said outboard bearing means, a self-adjusting nut assembly mounted on the outboard end of said spindle for maintaining axial adjustment of said bearing means on said spindle, said self-adjusting nut assembly including a cam element, in the form of a collar with a flat face on one side and axial extending cam surfaces on its other side, slidably and rotatably mounted on said spindle with said flat face of said cam element in abutment against said thrust retaining washer, a bearing nut threadingly engaged on said spindle outboard of said cam element, said bearing nut having an axial extending cam surface on its inboard side in abutment against said cam surfaces of said cam element, coiled spring means having one end fixed to said bearing nut and its opposite end operatively connected to said cam element to normally rotatively bias said cam element relative to said bearing nut in an up-cAm-ramp direction, and key means axially and non-rotatably fixed to said spindle and operatively connected to said bearing nut to prevent rotation of said bearing nut relative to said spindle, said bearing nut having an outer annular peripheral surface of a diameter and of an axial length positioned in said bore opening of said hub whereby said bearing nut is operable as a secondary bearing to rotatably support and retain said hub on said spindle.

Claim 6

A rotary mechanism including a spindle threaded at its outboard end, an inboard bearing means and an outboard bearing means mounted in spaced apart relation on said spindle, said inboard bearing means and said outboard bearing means each including an inner race and an outer race, a hub supported on said spindle by said inboard bearing means and said outboard bearing means for rotation relative to said spindle, said hub at its ouboard end having a bore opening to receive said outer race of said outboard bearing means and to receive a secondary bearing outboard of said outboard means, a thrust retaining washer keyed to and slidably positioned on said spindle for abutment against said inner race of said outboard bearing means, a self-adjusting nut assembly mounted on the outboard end of said spindle for maintaining axial adjustment of said bearing means on said spindle, said self-adjusting nut assembly including a cam element, in the form of a collar with a flat face on one side and axial extending cam surfaces on its other side, slidably and rotatably mounted on said spindle with said flat face of said cam element in abutment against said thrust retaining washer, a bearing nut threadingly engaged on said spindle outboard of said cam element, said bearing nut having an axial extending cam surface on its inboard side in abutment against said cam surfaces of said cam element, coiled spring means having one end fixed to said bearing nut and its opposite end operatively connected to said cam element to normally rotatively bias said cam element relative to said bearing nut in an up-cAm-ramp direction, and key means axially and non-rotatably fixed to said spindle and operatively connected to said bearing nut to prevent rotation of said bearing nut relative to said spindle, said bearing nut having an outer annular peripheral surface of a diameter and of an axial length positioned in said bore opening of said hub whereby said bearing nut is operable as a secondary bearing to rotatably support and retain said hub on said spindle.

Claim 7

A rotary mechanism including a spindle threaded at its outboard end, an inboard bearing and an outboard bearing mounted in spaced apart relation on said spindle, a hub supported on said spindle by said inboard bearing and said outboard bearing for rotation relative to said spindle, said hub at its outboard end having a bore opening to receive said outboard bearing, a thrust retaining washer keyed to and slidably positioned on said spindle for abutment against said outboard bearing, a collar having a flat face on one side thereof and axially extending cam surfaces on the other side thereof slidably and rotatably mounted on said spindle with said flat face of said collar in abutment against said thrust retaining washer, an internal wrenching nut threadingly engaged on said spindle outboard of said collar, said internal wrenching nut being in the form of a body of revolution about an axis and of a predetermined outside diameter for a substantial axial length to provide a bearing surface adapted for cooperation with the bored opening in said hub to rotatably support said hub, said internal wrenching nut as positioned on said spindle having an inner collar portion with axial extending cam surfaces adapted to cooperate with said cam surfaces on said collar and having radially outward from said inner collar portion a radially extending flat surface portion adapted to limit outboard axial movement of said hub relative to said spindle, coiled torsion spring means fixed at one end to said internal wrenching nut and at its opposite end operatively connected to said collar to normally rotatively bias said collar relative to said internal wrenching nut in an up-cam-ramp direction, and key means axially and non-rotatably fixed to said spindle and operatively connected to said internal wrenching nut to prevent rotation of said internal wrenching nut relative to said spindle.

Claim 8

A rotary mechanism including a spindle threaded at its outboard end, an inboard bearing and an outboard bearing mounted in spaced apart relation on said spindle, a hub supported on said spindle by said inboard bearing and said outboard bearing for rotation relative to said spindle, said hub at its outboard end having a bore opening to receive said outboard bearing, a thrust retaining washer keyed to and slidably positioned on said spindle for abutment against said outboard bearing, a collar having a flat face on one side thereof and axially extending cam surfaces on the other side thereof slidably and rotatably mounted on said spindle with said flat face of said collar in abutment against said thrust retaining washer, an internal wrenching nut threadingly engaged on said spindle outboard of said collar, said internal wrenching nut being in the form of a body of revolution about an axis and of a predetermined outside diameter for a substantial axial length to provide a bearing surface adapted for cooperation with the bored opening in said hub to rotatably support said hub, said internal wrenching nut as positioned on said spindle having an inner collar portion with axial extending cam surfaces adapted to cooperate with said cam surfaces on said collar and having radially outward from said inner collar portion a radially extending flat surface portion adapted to limit outboard axial movement of said hub relative to said spindle, coiled torsion spring means fixed at one end to said internal wrenching nut and at its opposite end operatively connected to said collar to normally rotatively bias said collar relative to said internal wrenching nut in an up-cam-ramp direction, and key means axially and non-rotatably fixed to said spindle and operatively connected to said internal wrenching nut to prevent rotation of said internal wrenching nut relative to said spindle.